Can fruit peels really be eaten?

In our daily lives, there are many reports saying that there will be pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables, so many friends often throw away the fruit peels when eating fruits. In addition to being afraid of residual pesticides, some people also think that the peels have no nutrition. However, many people think that fruit peels are edible and most of the nutrients in the fruit are in the peel. But is this really the case? Can the skin of fruit be eaten? Let’s take a look at it together below.

Experts explain that fruit peels are health products rather than pesticides

When eating fruit, the popularity of the peel is different from that of the flesh - some people become loyal fans of the peel because of its unique deliciousness and nutrition, while some people think that the peel contains a lot of pesticides and therefore refuse to eat it. So, can the peel be eaten?

Because of its nutrition, the peel of the fruit is not only rich in vitamin C, pectin, and cellulose, but also contains antioxidant anthocyanins and other polyphenols, which are of great benefit to the human body. Some people believe that due to pesticides, the peel is more likely to be exposed to pesticides than the flesh during the growth process, which will cause pesticide residues and cause greater harm to the human body.

Expert opinion: Don’t worry too much about pesticide residues on the peel. Nowadays, various herbicides and fungicides are always sprayed on the soil of farmland, which will enter the fruit trees through the roots. In order to reduce pests such as borers, pesticides are injected into the bark and flow throughout the tree through the ducts and sieve tubes in the trunk. Professor Fan Zhihong of China Agricultural University said: Most pesticides are not exposed to the fruit skin at all. Nowadays, most orchards bag the fruits after they set, reducing the chance of direct contact with any sprayed pesticides.

Now that we have eliminated our concerns about pesticide residues in the peel, let us take a look at the nutritional value of the peel: Taking apples as an example, the peel is rich in vitamin C, pectin and cellulose, and the polyphenols contained in the peel are much higher than those in the flesh.

A research measurement showed that the total polyphenol content in apple peel is 307 mg/100 g, the total flavonoids is 184 mg/100 g, and the proanthocyanidins is 105 mg/100 g. These rich nutrients are far beyond the reach of the pulp.

After reading the above, has your opinion on fruit peels changed? Take apples as an example. Polyphenols with significant anti-radiation effects can be extracted from the apple peel. This substance can also help animals delay their survival due to radiation. In addition, it can also help animals excrete some lead pollution in their bodies and reduce the lead content. So from this point of view, the peel of the fruit can still be eaten, and it will have unexpected effects.